Avoid Cipro Like the Plague

Speedwell, VAJohn suffers from chronic respiratory problems and for the past four years, he has been treated with Cipro. "It helped my breathing but I just found out that a tendon in my shoulder has separated—I am sure Cipro is to blame," says John.

John took 750 mg of the fluoroquinolone twice a day for 10 days. A few weeks ago, he was using a cordless drill to mount a picture on the wall. "I was holding the drill and all of a sudden I got a sharp pain in my right shoulder and my arm dropped," says John. "I couldn't hold my arm up; I lost all strength and without my control it just came down."

John saw his doctor and he ordered an MRI. " He also injected a steroid into my shoulder but it gave no relief," says John. "The MRI results showed a tendon in my right shoulder had ruptured and separated--right now there is a one-inch separation of this tendon.

I had no idea how this could have happened. The MRI results stated the following: 'a complete full thickness tear of the sutraspinatus tendon with medial retraction of the tendon body'. It goes on: 'A full thickness and near complete tear of the infrastinatus tendon. Subscapularis tendon myopathy.'

The surgeon told me I need a complete shoulder replacement joint. With the problems and damage, I will need three orthopedic specialists to perform the surgery: one neurosurgeon, one orthopedic surgeon and a third surgeon who specializes in connective tissue. And I might need donor tissue from a cadaver or artificial material, one of the two.

It is my opinion that this all happened from taking Cipro. I never experienced any trauma, and I didn't do any heavy lifting—at all. I just held a lightweight cordless drill and everything in my shoulder popped. I am only 53 and except for my pulmonary problem, I was in pretty good shape--up until this incident.

The Cipro manufacturer did not give any notice of contradictions of any steroids and now I found out that steroids, combined with fluoroquinolones (i.e. Cipro) compound the damage. Now with the black box warning, it apparently recognizes that there is a contradiction with steroids. Instead of having moderate tears, complete tears can result. The two will compound damage to the connective tissues—a bad combination.

First and foremost, I need my shoulder repaired before any more atrophy happens to the muscle or tissue. Recovery time is about six months. Meanwhile, I'm on Percocets 7.5 mg and inflammatory meds until I get surgery. In fact they have even talked about reverse surgery repair but I don't want to go there.

Regardless, I will have limited use and range of motion. One doctor at Duke University hospital said I will not be able to lift anything heavier than a glass of water for three months post-op. Luckily I am retired but I'm unable to enjoy a quality of life. This year is going to be physically challenging and who wants to spend a year going through surgery and physical therapy because of a drug company's greed? And I bet a lot of people out there are likely worse off than me."